Infrastructure Concerns Addressed at WEFTEC

"A working infrastructure is essential to the economy and livability of a country - or a state,"said 2002-2003 Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Robert McMillon. "This infrastructure is expensive to install and to maintain, and sadly, we are not making the investments that are needed."

McMillon spoke at a well-attended press conference on U.S. and California water infrastructure needs held Monday, Oct 13, during WEFTEC.03 in Los Angeles, Calif. The conference was part of a WEF initiative to raise public awareness of water infrastructure needs. Other participants included Blake Anderson, general manager of the Orange County Sanitation District (Orange County, Calif.,); California Assemblyman Keith Richman, M.D.; and Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople (Beverly Hills, Calif).

McMillon cited several recent studies by the Water Infrastructure Network (Washington, D.C.), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demonstrating the current state of water infrastructure nationwide and the critical need for local and federal investment.

"The Water Infrastructure Network's report, Clean & Safe Water for the 21^st Century, asserts that over the next 20 years, America's water and wastewater systems will have to invest $23 billion a year more than current investments to replace aging and failing infrastructure," said McMillion. "The CBO 2002 report estimates that from 2000-2019, annual costs for investment of the nation's water systems will average $11.6 billion for drinking water systems and between $13 billion and $20.9 billion for wastewater systems.

McMillon also stated that the EPA Gap Analysis released at WEFTEC.02 estimates the capital needs for clean water from 2000 to 2019 to range from $331 billion to $450 billion with a point estimate of $388 billion. Estimates of capital needs for drinking water over the 20 year period range from $154 billion to $446 billion.

In Southern California, Anderson said, wastewater treatment plant upgrades have been funded, largely because of stringent regulations, but money for collection system maintenance and upgrades remains scarce. Currently, 351 km (218 mi) of Los Angeles' large sewers 0.41 m (16 in.) in diameter and larger need to be repaired within 2 to 5 years, he noted, which will cost about $760 million.

A decaying water infrastructure could hurt public health, Richman said, which is why he introduced Proposition 53, an item on he California ballot that would have dedicated 3% of the state's budget to infrastructure needs. Although the proposition failed, he promised to keep the issue of infrastructure needs in the public eye because it is important to both California and the rest of the United States.

McMillon and Anderson closed the event by calling on state and federal politicians to make water infrastructure investment a priority. "We ask all leaders to leave a legacy of sound water infrastructure systems upon which future generations can build their lives and pursue their dreams," they said.

Reprinted from the WEF HIGHLIGHTS, published December 2003, Volume 40 No. 10 

Water Environmental Federation